Phase 2
by july's lilly
Summary: Takes place just before and immediatley after Red Sky. Lisa and Joshua must find a way to escape the ship before Anna finds out the whole truth. Lots of chapters to pass the time until V comes back, but they are short ones.
1. Chapter 1

Lisa gently touched his face. "You are very brave Joshua", she said. "Thank you," he paused then pledged his allegiance. "My Queen," he whispered as he bowed slightly, before running out to fight with Erica and the others in the resistance.

Lisa was a taken back by the powerful surge of emotions she began to feel. She felt happy and sick at the same time. She was always wary of Joshua, but now she wanted nothing more than to be with him. Her knees felt weak, she wanted to cry, knowing that his end was near. He would not survive this.

Was this the emotion that Tyler spoke so much about? If it was it was a cruel emotion, one that she wished she never felt. She found him and now she was going to lose him. It was too much to bear.

"No wonder mother warned us about this." She cursed these new feelings she had, but took them back when she thought about him, the way he looked at her, the sound of his voice. For the first time in her life she prayed. "Please if there is some way…." as she headed back to her mother.

Fifteen minutes later, a guard came in the room. Lisa closed her eyes. 'Here it comes' she thought, 'be strong.'


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Anna and Lisa along with Tyler were escorted to Anna's executive suite and secured. Once the threat was eliminated, they re-emerged and said their goodbyes to Erica and Tyler as they boarded the shuttle for home. Soon they received an urgent message to meet Marcus in the incubation chamber. Anna screamed in anger at the sight of her soldier eggs and her plans being destroyed. She ran out with Marcus on her heels.

Lisa stared at the ruin for a moment more before she left. She smiled slyly as she walked out composing herself when she saw a guard. "Where is the traitor, where is Joshua, he must pay!" She commanded him in a stern voice. "My lady", he responded, "He was killed by Agent Evans. His body is in the medical bay."

She went to the medical bay. Joshua's body was laid out on a surgical bed with nothing but a thin sheet covering him. She shuddered upon seeing his pale face and feeling his cold skin. They had gotten used to being in their human suits too much she thought; she liked the warm feeling of humans much better than their own cool bodies. "Oh Joshua, what will I do now?"

Lisa picked up his hand and put it to her cheek. Suddenly she heard the shuffling of feet and looked around quickly for a place to hide. Too late, Marcus came into the room with three medical officers. Lisa stiffened her face and straightened her back. "So Joshua has been the traitor all along." she said to Marcus in an indifferent voice. "Apparently" he answered, as he approached Joshua's lifeless body. He and Lisa traded stern looks. "Your mother is requesting your presence." he said in his usual calm voice. She nodded and went to her mother.


	3. Chapter 3

"Is he alive?" Marcus asked. The doctor scanned his body and checked his vital signs.

"Just barely, the bullets missed his heart but they have caused much damage to his intestines."

"Very well then, bring him back." The doctor passed the blue energy beam over him and Joshua gasped back to life.

"Welcome back", Marcus said to Joshua in a calm, friendly manner, and then his voice got darker as he leaned close to him. "You should have used the immolation gun on yourself; it would have been much easier for you." He started to walk out with the team. "Immobilize him. We will be back within the hour."

The doctor gave Joshua an injection to prevent him from moving before they left him alone.


	4. Chapter 4

The Red Sky was forming as Lisa walked into Anna's suite. Anna sensed her and smiled. "Soon my daughter, soon, it's all coming together."

Lisa remained quiet and walked to her mother's side. "What will happen now?" she asked.

Anna was very cryptic in her reply. "You will see, they will all see."

Lisa left her mother and walked aimlessly back to her quarters thoughts bombarding her mind. Joshua was gone, any remaining fifth column members were imprisoned and would surely be tortured and killed, Erica and Tyler were on the ground, she had no one to turn to, no one to confide in. And what was her mother's plan? Joshua hinted at it, but never told her. The Red Sky made her shudder with fear. She knew first hand what her mother was capable of, but how could she stop it? She looked up and saw Marcus talking quite excitedly to one of his advisors as they were coming out of the corridor that led to the medical bay. Her curiosity was piqued and she went in.

Lisa began to shake as she approached Joshua's body again. "Joshua?" she whispered. Joshua slowly opened his eyes. "You're alive!" she exclaimed and smiled brightly, tears running down her cheeks.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

"Because I thought your were dead, but here you are," she smiled as she smoothed his hair.

"Not for long, Lisa. You have to get out of here, you have to leave the ship, find Erica and the others and hide. They will interrogate me until I break, and I can only hold out for so long."

"No, I won't leave you, I have to get you out of here." She leaned over to him and kissed him gently on his cheek. He looked at her in confusion as she leaned in again to kiss his lips. Joshua awkwardly returned her kiss. He smiled at her.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"I want to see what it really feels like."

"I don't understand..."

"Love" she said shyly. Joshua frowned.

"No Lisa," he said tenderly "we can not allow emotions to cloud our thinking now. You have to leave me, you have to go! Now!"

They heard footsteps fast approaching.

"Quickly go through that panel. His eyes motioned to a small panel behind her. It opened for and she disappeared behind the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Marcus came back with guards and the medical team. He smiled evilly at Joshua.

"I suppose you think I am going to torture you for information, but I have bigger plans for you Joshua. The fifth column is being taken care of and is all but dead, there is nothing to fear from them and their miserable attempts to harm us." Marcus enjoyed looking at a defeated Joshua as he continued.

"I have in my possession partial research from human scientists that I want you to replicate and complete. You will use your fellow fifth column members as research participants. You will not leave this lab for any reason."

Marcus called to the security guards. He left one guard in the lab and posted two outside. The drug that immobilized Joshua was wearing off and he was beginning to feel a burning sensation as his limbs regained their feeling. He got off the gurney and dressed quickly.

"I expect regular progress reports. Stephen will monitor your every move. Don't be stupid enough to try to escape or immolate yourself, or it will cost you dearly. You see," He whispered into Joshua's ear, "I know that you tampered with Lisa's empathy test results and I will not hesitate to expose her and have her eliminated. You don't want that hanging over your head do you? "

Joshua turned away from Marcus. "I will do what you want Marcus."

"I knew you would." He handed the disc to Joshua and walked out.


	7. Chapter 7

Lisa shook in fear as she heard Marcus tell Joshua her secret. She knew that her mother would waste no time in killing her, and replacing her, but now she was trapped, and once she came out from behind that door, she would be discovered as a traitor. Her fear quickly became resolve and she realized she had no other choice.

She took off her boot, waiting to strike. 'Now!' she said to herself when she saw the guard in sight with his back turned to her. She had one chance, and now was it. Lisa leapt out of the door and with a ferocity she had never known before; she struck guard in the back of the head, thrusting the heel deep inside his skull. He had no time to scream, no time to warn anyone.

Joshua turned around and quickly caught the guard as he fell. He looked at her in amazement as she quickly regained her composure. "Let's go!" she called to Joshua. He took an immolation capsule and placed it in the guard's mouth before they disappeared through the panel.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ok, what now?" she asked. Joshua was still in amazement at her new found ferociousness, and thoroughly impressed.

"Well, uh, this passageway leads to two places." He explained. They passed a panel like the one in the medical bay.

"That one leads to my quarters." Lisa imagined the two of them in his quarters. She liked the thought of that and smiled. They went further ahead to another panel.

"This one leads will lead you back to the main corridor on the right and to an escape pod on the left. My father built it in case of an attack. No one knows about it. He planned to build more, but he was killed before he could."

"Did my mother kill him, Joshua?" Lisa asked, afraid to hear his answer. Joshua did not answer her but his look told her all she needed to know.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" he responded gently. Joshua went back to the task at hand. "When you go out of this panel go back to the main corridor. You can not let them suspect you. Act as you normally would."

"What will you do Joshua?"

"I need to stay here for awhile. Get to Erica tell her everything. Don't come back here, or the medical bay, or near my quarters. They will be watching. I'll wait two days to give you time to tell Erica. If I can get the pod to work, I can escape to a safe area on the ground, If you don't hear from me after the fifth day, I am dead."

"Isn't there a better way?" Lisa implored. The thought of losing him again was too agonizing for her.

Joshua touched her cheek and smiled reassuringly. "This is the only way."

"But they will find the panels. They will find you."

Joshua smiled. "No they won't. These panels only open for fifth column members. I made sure of it." Lisa looked at him curiously. She was not a fifth column member until yesterday. How did it open for her?

"I added your name weeks ago." He said as a matter of factly.


	9. Chapter 9

Lisa went back to her mother. "Mother, Joshua was the traitor all along. I saw his body in the medical bay."

"We don't have to worry about him or the fifth column anymore. I sent Marcus to revive him and interrogate him and the others. They will tell us everything we want to know soon enough."

Lisa was stunned. Anna seemed to know nothing about the research Marcus wanted him to do. What was Marcus up to? Either way, she had to act fast and get Joshua to safety.

Marcus found the lab empty when he entered. He demanded an explanation from the guards posted outside, but they were unable to provide him with any. He saw a small pile of ashes and knew. He quickly searched for the disc, but that was gone to. He would have to stall a little before telling Anna while he planned his next move. "Tear this room apart, find out how he escaped, tell no one." He ordered as he walked out.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Anna met with world leaders then made her announcement about the red sky to the rest of the world. Her explanation made sense to the humans and she was pleased with how gullible they were. They were succumbing to her bliss as well. It was all going as planned.

Lisa was able to get a shuttle to the city with the pretense of making the final preparations for Tyler to come aboard although Anna insisted that she go with guards. She had the guards wait outside Erica's home while she went in. Lisa told her everything she knew. Erica met with Hobbes and Jack at the church and relayed the information to them.

When Erica came back home, Tyler was almost packed. "I will be back tomorrow; it's going be an exciting time for you, Tyler." Lisa promised. Tyler left the room for a minute, Erica handed Lisa a cell phone. "It's a secure line. If Joshua makes it out have him call this number." Lisa nodded. When Tyler came back and she kissed him and left for the shuttle.

Back aboard the ship, Lisa had to act fast. She slipped through the corridor, found Joshua and gave him the cell phone. They went out and started to go their separate ways.

"Good luck," she said to Joshua. She tried to remain strong but her face revealed her true emotions.

"Thank you Lisa." Joshua turned to go, but then against his better judgment he turned back around.

"Lisa," he whispered gently.

She turned to him. "I... ahh..." He searched for the right words to say, wanting to tell her everything, but he quickly regained his senses, turned again and disappeared into the dark.

Lisa watched and prayed for the second time in her life. "Please let him be alright…"


	11. Chapter 11

Joshua slid into the pod. He turned on the control panel and waited for it to start up. He didn't tell Lisa, but he knew that this was a very long shot. The pod had never been tested, it was over ten years old and judging by the noises it was making and the shaking that was going on, Joshua was in for a very rough ride**,** but what choice did he have? Stay on board and slowly see his friends die, or try to escape and help them? He himself was ready to die if need be to save the column.

The pod was ready. He set the coordinates for the landing area and pressed the release button. Smoke was coming out from the bottom, and it was getting very hot, but there was no going back. Joshua closed his eyes and thought of Lisa. After all the terrible things he had to do lately, she was the one good thing that came out of all this and he wished her strength, hope and courage to continue the fight once he was gone. The pod shook violently as it detached from the mother ship and floated away.


	12. Chapter 12

Anna and Lisa were going over the preparations for Tyler when Marcus walked into Anna's suite. "Any progress from Joshua or the other fifth column members?" Anna asked without looking up.

"They are providing us with much information, we are finding and capturing more fifth column members from the other ships as well." Marcus replied.

"Good, alert me when you are finished with Joshua, I have something special planned for him." Anna smiled wickedly and dismissed Marcus to finish the interrogations. He bowed slightly and left the room. Lisa decided to follow him, she needed to find out what he was up to. His lie meant that she was safe for now, he would not tell Anna her secret since he had his own to worry about she mused then smiled when she realized that this would also buy Joshua time to hide once he got the ground.

She found Marcus back in the medical bay. "My lady, what are you doing here?" He was startled to see her.

"I want to speak with Joshua, I have a few questions for him before my mother sees him. I want to make sure he knows what will happen to traitors like him."

"We have moved him to another part of the ship, I assure you that his crime will not go unpunished, but we are in the middle of the interrogations and I do not want to give him a moment's rest until he reveals everything. You will get your chance to face him." Marcus coolly replied.

"Very well," Lisa turned to go. She noticed Marcus's usually calm manner unravel ever so slightly, the beads of sweat on his brow gave him away. He had no clue as to what happened and 'by the time he figures it out, Joshua will be long gone' she thought. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the guards poking at the panel she and Joshua had escaped through and just as he told her, it did not budge.


	13. Chapter 13

Joshua landed in a thick woods, by his calculations he was about 10 miles from the safe house. The pod had broken into smoldering pieces around him, the cell phone Lisa gave and the provisions he brought with him were burned beyond repair. He felt a burning sensation in his legs, looked down and saw that his human skin was partially burned off, his reptilian skin was showing through. 'It could take days to fix this.' He thought.

He found a blue energy canister that survived the landing and set to work repairing his skin. He needed to find shelter, a place to hide until his wounds were healed. He tried to get up but the pain would not let him, his right leg was broken, he had to stay put for now. It was getting dark and he could hardly see but he had to repair as much as he could before heading out in the morning. The damage to his skin was extensive and he realized that he might only have enough to repair the skin. The broken leg would have to wait. Remembering his human medical training, he made splints out of branches and tore off long strips of his labcoat to make ties. That would have to do until he could find a way to mend the bones.

By morning, his skin was sutured together, but he had to rest to give his new skin a chance to heal and graft in with the old. Hunger began to sink in and he thought about catching a field mouse that was scampering about around him, but somehow the thought of eating it in the usual way offended him now that he felt more like a human that a V. "You're lucky little guy, but if I get hungry enough, you don't want to be around here." He joked as he watched the mouse run away. He spotted a fallen tree and crawled to it for shelter, covered himself with leaves and twigs and forced himself to sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Lisa took the early shuttle to the ground and made her way to Erica's home to bring Tyler to the mother ship. She asked Tyler for a few moments alone with Erica. "I want to talk to her privately woman to woman."

Tyler turned to his mother. "I love you mom, we'll see each other soon." He reassured her.

"I love you too Ty, take care of yourself OK?" She gave him a big bear hug and wiped a tear from her eye as he left to wait for Lisa in the limo.

"Erica," Lisa began. "I have convinced my mother that Tyler and I would work better as a team to strengthen Human/V relations. People are still nervous about the red sky so we will be part of a campaign to travel the country promoting the Peace Ambassador program. He will be with me at all times, I will keep him safe, I promise."

Erica was relieved by that bit of news, but was still anxious. "What about you, are you safe?"

"Yes, I can't go in to detail right now, but I will keep you informed." Lisa then asked the question she was afraid to hear the answer to. "Any word from Joshua?"

"No" Erica replied. Lisa nodded and left with Tyler.

"Hey are you alright, you seem upset." Tyler noticed as they were headed back to the shuttle.

"I'm fine, just thinking." She put on her happiest face, kissed Tyler and wrapped her arms around his. "We are going to have a great time, you'll see."


	15. Chapter 15

Joshua was awakened by a rustle of leaves. He heard the bark of a dog getting louder and closer to him. He buried himself under the log as much as he could, covered himself more and held his breath, hoping it would pass him by.

"Rusty, come here boy, come." A female voice called. Rusty kept barking, the female was approaching. She spotted the fragments of the ship. "What on earth is this?" She asked herself fearfully. "Rusty come now!" She called more forcefully. The dog complied and went running to his master.

Joshua knew that it was a matter of time before the police would come. He hobbled to the landing place and set the canister to burn. He used the last of the blue energy to destroy the fragments so that nothing but ash remained and quickly blew away.

He checked his wounds. The graft needed more time but he had to get out of there so he found a large branch to use as a cane and disappeared into the woods.


	16. Chapter 16

"Lady, are you sure you got the right place?" The policeman asked.

"I'm sure, I bring my dog by here every day!" She stated emphatically. "It was right here, I swear it. It was something belonging to the V's. It had markings on it like the markings I've seen at their healing centers." She looked around confused. An hour ago there were dozens of pieces on the ground, now there was nothing but dirt.

"Hey Sarge," another policeman called. "Come over here."

They walked over to the fallen tree stump where Joshua had been. The officer picked up a piece of cloth that was snagged on a branch.

"What do you make of it?" he asked. The Sergeant looked at the piece of cloth. "Could be nothing, but we'll have to turn this over to the V Task Force in case it might be some anti-V situation. It's their call." The officer admonished the woman to keep quiet. "We don't want to incite any panic on either side. They'll get to the bottom of it. Let's go."

Erica got the call about the fragments and the cloth and called Jack. "I think we found Joshua."

"Where is he?"

"A long way from here. I'm going out now to the site. Get Hobbes and meet me there."


	17. Chapter 17

It was midday and Joshua felt as if he walked 100 miles but in actuality he had gone less that two. His leg was badly bruised and the swelling threatened to pull the newly grafted skin off. He felt nauseous and cold as he stopped to rest. 'I'll just close my eyes for a minute…'

Erica arrived at the tiny police station in the Adirondack Mountains around 4:00 p.m. The Sergeant gave her directions to the site and offered to go with her. "No need, I'll take it from here, my team is right behind me."

She got to the site and looked around the area the police had marked. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and as she surveyed the area she saw a million different directions he could have gone in, then she noticed what seemed like a drag mark and followed it. She started to walk through the thick brush, but turned when she heard her name.

"Erica! Where are you?" It was Jack.

"I'm here! She cried out and walked out to meet them.

"Well didn't the lizard princess say he was going to a safe house?" Hobbes suggested after a few minutes of searching. "Maybe he is already there."

"No," Erica argued. "His pod must have broken on impact, according to the report the pieces were smoldering as if they had been on fire. He would have contacted us by now if he was o.k. I saw what looked like drag marks he so might be hurt, if that's the case he couldn't have gotten very far. Spread out and look around."

They did as Erica instructed and after ten minutes Jack cried out, "Over here, quickly!"

Erica and Hobbes ran to Jack. "Is this Joshua?" Jack asked. Erica nodded affirmatively.

"Come on let's get him out of here."


	18. Chapter 18

"He doesn't look like he is going to make it." Hobbes observed. "That leg looks real bad and we can't very well take him to a regular doctor."

"Just drive," Erica snapped. Joshua was in and out of consciousness, his skin was pale, clammy and his lips cracked from exposure. She knew that Hobbes was right, how could they get him the medical attention he needed?

"Hang on Joshua, hang on." Erica kept repeating while cradling him in her arms.

By the time they reached Erica's house it was dark again. Hobbes pulled the car into the garage, then he and Jack helped get Joshua out and upstairs to Tyler's room. Erica got some of Tyler's old clothes and left Jack to take care of him while she and Hobbes went downstairs.

"You can't keep him here." Hobbes said.

"We don't have any options right now. He'll be safe here for awhile, no one is looking for him yet."

She paced the floor thinking out loud. "Lisa and Tyler are on that Peace Ambassador tour, they will be in the area tomorrow, visiting healing centers. If I could get her to get something to fix his leg… I'll call Tyler in the morning, and tell them to stop by for a visit. I'll tell Tyler I have something for him for his new place… I'll have to call his father too…"

"You better come up with a better reason than that." laughed Hobbes. Jack came downstairs.

"How is he?" asked Erica.

"He seems more comfortable, he's sleeping soundly."

Jack and Hobbes turned to go. "I'll call you in the morning." Jack said as they left and shut the door.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Erica was awakened by the buzzing of her cell phone. It was Kendrick. "Anything on that report in the mountains?" he asked.

"No," Erica answered. "It was a dead end. There was nothing to indicate any anti-V actions."

"Good, well get here soon, we have some new developments to review."

She made breakfast and brought up a tray for Joshua. He was still sleeping, and he looked much better. She checked his leg, the bruising still looked bad but the swelling had decreased, that was a good sign she thought. She dialed Tyler's number and left a message. Joshua woke up and looked around slightly confused.

"Good morning." She smiled.

"Erica," he sighed. "Where am I?"

"You're in my house; you'll be safe here for awhile. I brought you some breakfast." Joshua smiled appreciatively as he ate.

"My leg, I have too…" Erica interrupted. "I'm working on a plan. You need to stay here and rest. Jack will be by later to check in on you, but I have to go."

Joshua nodded, laid back down and closed his eyes.


	20. Chapter 20

Lisa and Tyler had a full day of stops. Tyler was enjoying the attention and admiration he was receiving. "Don't let it go to your head," Lisa teased.

"That's why I have you," He joked back and gave her a quick hug. He felt his phone vibrate and checked the messages. "Mom called. "I've only been gone for two days and she's already checking up on me."

"Go easy on her Tyler," Lisa reasoned with him, "she misses you, call her back, I'll cover for you."

He walked away to answer the call. "Mom wants us to come over if we have some free time tonight. She said to say that all is well and she has something she wants me to have from my dad."

Lisa felt her heart leap. Joshua made it! She could hardly contain her excitement at the news. "We'll make time! You should get her some flowers; we could have a nice late supper!" Lisa was so giddy, Tyler was surprised at her reaction.

"Hey, what has gotten into you?"

"I'm sorry, it's just that everything is going so well, your mom is warming up to me and it's so nice to have her as a friend."

"Oh…Kay, I told her I would call her back, so I assume we can go."

"Yes, tell her we'll be there around seven."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

They arrived promptly at seven. Erica had the table set for them. "Hi mom, these are for you." Tyler gave her a big bouquet of flowers. "Oh sweetheart, thank you." She replied as she kissed him and gave Lisa a warm hug.

"Before we eat, Tyler your Dad gave me something for you. Lisa would you mind getting it, I want to catch up with Tyler for a minute. It's on the dresser in his room."

Lisa nodded and went up the stairs.

She opened the door and let out a small gasp of surprise. "Joshua?" She whispered. He turned toward her. "Lisa." She ran over to him and this time he enjoyed her kiss and returned it eagerly. He held her tightly in his arms and she giggled as she smoothed his hair and touched his face. She laughed when she saw the AC/DC tee shirt he had on. It was strange seeing him in something other than his medical uniform. She then noticed his broken leg and frowned.

"You're hurt."

"Oh it's nothing much but I need you to go to one of the healing centers and get me a blue energy canister so that I can heal my leg."

"Yes, I can do that, we are going to several tomorrow." She told him about Tyler and the Peace Ambassador tour. "And I will figure out a way to stay here so that I can help you." She started to kiss him again.

His voice suddenly became very serious. "No Lisa you can't, you must not see me again. Your place is on the ship to help find and free the fifth column up there. My place is here now."

"Joshua, I don't have the strength to go on without you."

"You're wrong, Lisa. You are stronger and more powerful than you know. Dark days are coming and you will need to be the leader I know you can be. One day when this is all over, if I am still alive, it will be my honor to serve you as our true Queen."

"Please, don't talk like that, I don't want you as my servant, I want you as my partner, Joshua, I love you."

He turned his head away. "No, it can never be, you know that. I let emotions get in the way of my judgement, forgive me."

"Joshua, I know you felt it too, I could see it in your eyes when I came in." Lisa countered.

"Go," he said sternly ignoring her statement. His mind was on the mission now. "Find Ryan. He is a fifth column member from the ground who was working with Erica and is most likely on the mother ship. If he is still alive, he can be a great help to you, but be careful, Anna may try to use him against us."

Lisa got up. She cursed these new emotions again. She realized that although Joshua was fifth column and was sympathetic towards the humans, for as long as she knew him he was always distant, aloof he would never be like humans in this regard, how foolish of her to think it. Even if there was a remote chance that he did love her they would never be free to be together, their laws would never allow it. Joshua was right she needed to be strong to lead her people and free the humans from Anna's terrible plan.

"I will get the blue energy and give it to Erica." She took the package and turned to go. "Good luck Joshua." She said sadly as she closed the door behind her.


	22. Chapter 22

Within seconds after receiving the blue energy canister, Joshua's leg was healed. He got up and walked around as if nothing had ever happened to it. Erica watched and marveled at their technology but at what cost she thought.

"We are going to meet with Jack and Hobbes. You'll stay with Hobbes; he can hide you better than me." Erica informed him. Joshua nodded and remained silent. "What is happening Joshua, what are we in for?" she asked.

"You must understand" he started, "that it was not our intention to harm your world. V's have been here for the last thirty years. When we set out here it was to establish a mutual partnership that would benefit our worlds, our former queen wanted to use the best of both worlds, our technology and your human adaptability. I myself came ten years ago to study human medical knowledge and techniques so that we could perfect blue energy."

"What happened then?"

"Anna became queen six years ago. At first she seemed to continue with our former queen's vision, but she began plotting with Marcus and the mission changed.

"Well she obviously saw something more that she wants, what is it?" Erica pointed out.

"Everything. She wants total power and control over our people and the humans. She will stop at nothing to get it. Many of us who saw her motives started the fifth column as a way to stop her but we needed to find our new queen before we could move and I believe we have now found her."

"Lisa." Erica concluded.

"Yes. I have been watching her for years. She is as strong as her mother and many in the fifth column still feel she is a threat and want her eliminated as well, but I have seen her change since she has come here and I have convinced many of them that she is the one. Her assignment with Tyler has changed her, she now has human emotions, feelings of empathy and love as all fifth column members have. When she gave you the blue energy grenade, I knew she was truly one of us and I believe she will be a great queen once Anna is destroyed, then our worlds can co-exist peacefully, as it was intended."

"What is the Red Sky?"

"It is what our world looks like. She is converting it into her home. We require a higher temperature than humans to survive. The human skin we have is as much a protection as it is our disguise so that we could blend in with your world. The red sky will slowly bring up the temperature of the earth to the point where we will be able to shed our human skin."

"And all that B.S about it purifying the air is a lie?" Erica exclaimed, horrified.

"No it's true it will purify the air, she just didn't tell you the rest and you will slowly die from the heat." Joshua said softly lowering his head.

"But why?"

"Our planet is dying, Erica. We have been on a search for a new one for the last 50 years. When we found this one, it was the closest to our own planet and our queen at that time, Sara, sent out spies to investigate it. As reports came back, she saw the benefit of co-existing, our technology was more advanced and your human skin was more adaptable than our own. My father found a method to clone it and soon more and more V's were arriving on earth, but there was a side effect."

"What is it?"

"The skin slowly becomes integrated with our own; it can eventually take over and become permanent."

"So you will be human then?

"Not exactly, but we can remain in this form and not have to raise the temperature to survive. That is what Sara wanted, but when she died and Anna took over, the agenda changed. Anna wanted us to be kept pure, no intermixing, but it was too late, many of us have developed human feelings as well. Her own brother John May turned against her. Since then she has actively sought to find us out and exterminate all fifth column and their sympathizers. She was already doing so on the ships." Joshua stopped. Erica was quiet, and he saw the fear in her eyes.

"There is more Erica you need to know. Anna has thousands of other ships cloaked from your satellites close to earth waiting for her command to invade. She has started the preparations to take over. It was supposed to be a gradual invasion, but when her eggs were destroyed, she decided to move more quickly, the fifth column was getting too bold. The ships will be her last move, once she has gained the hearts and minds of the people on earth, they will strike and there will be nothing that the humans can do."


	23. Chapter 23

"So we are finished then," Erica said, defeated. "I mean she can probably birth more soldiers, we'll be outnumbered and we're obviously no match for your technology!" She began to shudder, anger and rage quickly engulfed her as she screamed and started to flail at Joshua with her fists.

"Damn you damn all of you to hell, my son is up there, why did you have to come here! Why do we have to die, I hate you! I hate you all."

Joshua stopped her blows and held her by the shoulders. "Hey, calm down," he said in a soothing voice. He sat her on the sofa and smiled at her.

"Anna can't birth more soldiers, a queen can only do that once in her life cycle, that is why she was so angry. There are not enough soldiers left to quickly eliminate humans. I won't lie to you it will be a very difficult, but I think I have something that may help."

Erica regained her composure and looked up at him. "Go on."

"Marcus revived me to work on research he had from human scientists. He wanted me to work on it, to test it on my fellow fifth column members. Before Lisa helped me escape, I was able to see what was in it. It was some kind of virus I have never seen before."

"I know about that," Erica remembered. When I went to Parkers apartment, he told me about the research. It is a virus that causes amphibians and reptiles to die. How did you get it, his hard drive was stol…" Her eyes suddenly got larger. "Hobbes was there before me… He must have stolen it… He sold it to Marcus! That lousy double-crosser! He would sell out his own for a few bucks. And for what, if we are all doomed any way!"

"Erica," Joshua interrupted. "I still have the research, I took it with me, If I can have access to a lab, then I can finish it. We can use it as a weapon against Anna."

Erica looked at Joshua in disbelief. "Joshua, if you do this it would mean the death of your species, you will die too. You would be willing to do that?"

"It's the only real chance we have right now." Joshua conceded, "But I can also find a cure for it as well. That is most likely what Marcus wanted for me to do. He knew that the humans would be able to figure out a way to destroy us."

"I'll find you a lab, but we need to keep this from Hobbes, until we find out what he is really up to. Let's go, Hobbes is waiting for you and if you don't show he might get suspicious."


	24. Chapter 24

"So what's our next move?" Hobbes asked once they arrived. Erica flashed him a steely look. Joshua told Hobbes everything he told Erica with the exception of the research. When he was done, Hobbes face looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"So what can we do then?" He asked quietly.

"Lisa can supply us with V codes so that we can get past their shields and take down their ships." Erica lied. "Joshua knows how to imbed them into our computers and he also knows where to find other fifth column members. He'll stay here a day or two to make sure he is not being followed then he will leave to find them."

Hobbes seemed satisfied with that answer and smiled at Joshua. "Welcome to your new home roomy."

That night Hobbes met with Marcus. "Nothing new chief, we got some intelligence about more fifth column members coming out. I'll check it out and give you names."

"Never mind that." Marcus replied impatiently. "I want you to look for this man." He gave him a picture of Joshua. "He was one of Anna's closest advisors and we recently found out that he was a fifth column member. We were interrogating him but he was somehow able to escape. We need him back before..." Marcus stopped.

"Before what?" asked Hobbes. "Just find him." Marcus hissed. "You know what's on the line for you." He drove away leaving Hobbes alone.


	25. Chapter 25

Erica and Joshua left the next day to make the trip to the safe house in the mountains. It was a long trip and Joshua's silence didn't help Erica.

"Hey aren't you going to say anything?" Erica began after an hour of silence.

"Well the last time I did you tried to use me as a punching bag." Joshua quipped.

"Is that a joke?" Erica smiled. "I don't ever think I heard a V joke before."

Joshua laughed. " I think that is what I like most about humans, your spontaneity, the pleasure you take in ordinary things, like laughter, music, food."

Erica looked at him closely. She could only see the human mask and it was hard for her to imagine that he was a repti… well that he was different. His face was very handsome, she wondered if his actual face resembled his human one. She had so many questions but decided to keep them to herself for now except for the one that affected her son directly.

"Tell me about Lisa, you said that you see her as your queen, what would that mean for Tyler?"

"Once she is queen, she cannot have a mate." Joshua said stiffly.

Erica was very surprised by that answer, and was curious to find out more. "But how does she have children, Anna is Lisa's mother, she must have mated to have her, and she birthed soldier eggs right?"

"Only the workers can have children. The queen chooses from among the eligible females who will be her protégé when she becomes queen. The female then becomes her daughter and is further trained to become queen herself. As for the soldiers, she can only mate once to create them, and when she is done, the male is destroyed."

Joshua's answer sent shivers up her spine. "But a V with human emotion could fall in love, I mean Ryan did with Val, and John May had a wife." She argued.

"Yes that is true but if and when she becomes queen, she is bound to our laws. Our society is very rigid, well structured and until recently our planet was intact. Lisa would be the first queen to possess both V and human qualities, I can't say what it will mean for our people if she were to break tradition, and change our ways."

Joshua rubbed the temples of his forehead as if he had a headache. "It is all so complicated, sometimes I think that Anna was right to want to keep us from intermixing."

Erica gave him a look fear and distrust. "I'm sorry, of course Anna is wrong," Joshua explained, "it's just that having human emotions has complicated everything. There is a certain comfort in knowing what your station is, what is expected of you, your life is planned, you don't have to question it."

"But the problem with that is that Anna used that comfort for her advantage, she is putting your lives as well as ours in peril."

"I know, that is why she must be defeated." Joshua was silent again, his mood became sullen. Erica tried to lighten things back up.

"Well I'm sure you must have have a few girlfriends of your own." No answer.

"Joshua, have you ever had feelings of love for someone?"

"For my parents and my sister."

"How about someone like, well like Ryan with Val?"

"No." he said curtly but Erica noticed the expression on his face and the near tears in his eyes. She knew he was lying but decided not to pry anymore and quickly changed the subject. "So what's your favorite food?"


	26. Chapter 26

They reached the cabin in the mountains and looked around. It was a nice sized cabin by the lake. If Erica didn't know any better she would have taken it as an ordinary vacation home. There was a garden in the front with garden gnomes and windsocks scattered among the Blackeyed Susans and Coneflowers, a wraparound porch and a boat tied to the dock. 'Very all-American' she thought. Erica went around the back with her gun drawn. The back door was open, she motioned to Joshua and they went inside.

Everything seemed to be in place, no sign that it had been compromised. Joshua looked upstairs, Erica stayed on the main floor. She went to the kitchen and saw two plates with partially eaten food as if someone had been there recently. She saw the door to the basement and went down.

Behind some boxes she saw a figure moving. "Come out, we're friends, we're not here to hurt you." She then felt a surge of pain on her head and fell to the floor unconscious.

When she came to, she was lying on the living room sofa with Joshua and a woman standing over her. "Good, you're awake" said Joshua as he checked the ice bag he had placed on her head.

"Sorry I had to do that," said the woman. "We have to be careful these days."

"Erica, this is Dr. Pearlman, she was Valerie's doctor. Valerie was taken to the ship and Ryan went after her just as you thought. Anna must have them both now. If she hasn't killed them she is experimenting on them and their baby. They may still be alive. You need to tell Lisa." Joshua said hopefully. Erica took a moment to absorb the information.

A younger man about Tyler's age came into the room and smiled sheepishly.

"And who are you?" she asked the young man.

"I'm Peter. I am a fifth column member. Two more of us were on the ground when we got the warning message. We did not go back to the ship and have been here ever since."

"Where are the other two?" She looked around her head still throbbing.

"They are out getting food for us. We try to act as normally as we can, blend in to throw any suspicion from us."

Joshua interrupted them and sounded very excited. "Erica, there is a small lab here in the safe house, it has much of our technology. I spoke with Dr. Pearlman, she and I will work on the research and have some answers very soon."


	27. Chapter 27

"Well I have to go. I'll talk to you soon." Erica got up to leave but felt dizzy and sat back down.

Dr. Pearlman did a neurological test. "Every thing seems o.k. but you should stay at least for the night, you can leave early tomorrow." She said.

Soon after Peter's companions arrived. There was a young woman named Ruth who appeared to be in her twenties and her boyfriend Thomas also in his twenties. They ate dinner and sat on the porch afterward talking and listening to the night sounds of the crickets and frogs. No one seemed to want to talk about serious matters, there would be plenty of time for that and Erica was more than willing not to talk shop for once. It seemed like such a normal picture, Ruth and Thomas acting like an ordinary couple, Peter listening to music on his MP3 player. Dr. Pearlman and Erica talked while sipping coffee and Joshua was silent again, taking it all in. He excused himself after awhile to prepare the lab and Dr. Pearlman followed.

The next morning Erica was given a clean bill of health and started to her car. She handed Joshua another cell phone. "Try not to incinerate this one." She teased.

Joshua smiled as he took it. "Thank you Erica, for everything. I will call you soon."


	28. Chapter 28

Lisa was waiting for Erica at her house. "Where's Tyler?" she asked.

"He is giving a talk to a group of high school boys, recruiting for the Peace Ambassador program. I'll be joining him in about an hour." They went inside and while Erica put a pot of water on the stove for tea, Lisa gave her bad news.

"Marcus is sending trackers to find Joshua. Marcus is up to something, Mother doesn't know about the research, she thinks he is being interrogated on the ship and she wants to make an example of him, so she has ordered him to finish with Joshua and bring him to her."

"How long do we have before they find him?"

"A few days at the most, once he sends them." Lisa responded. "Erica, what is so important about the research?"

"It is a virus that can kill your species. Joshua and another doctor are working on making it into a weapon." Lisa gasped. This was not what she joined the fifth column for. "You have to tell Joshua to stop this! I want my mother defeated, but not at the expense of our entire race! There has to be another way."

"Hey calm down, they are also working on a cure. Right now it's the only weapon we have, we don't stand a chance against your ships once they invade and that would mean the destruction of my people." Erica reminded her.

"Yes, you're right Erica," she reassured herself, "and I know Joshua will be thorough he won't do anything until it has been well planned. How is he?" Lisa asked tentatively.

"He is well. Not much of a talker though."

"Yes he has always been like that, very focused." She smiled then looked away from Erica, fearing that she would give away her feelings for Joshua when she was supposed to be in love with Tyler.

Erica asked about Ryan. "Valerie died giving birth to her baby according to my mother. Ryan is undergoing retraining, they are trying to turn him back, using his baby as an incentive. She hasn't let me near either one of them. If she is successful, she will use her method to turn all fifth column members back to her. Now that her soldiers are dead, she needs as many of her workers as she can get, so she has stopped immolation of any fifth column prisoners for now waiting to see if Ryan turns." She started to leave to meet Tyler. "Please keep me informed about Joshua's progress Erica."

Erica nodded. "I will."


	29. Chapter 29

Erica's phone rang. It was Joshua. They had made significant progress on the virus and were already testing it on turtles and snakes. It was very fast and deadly, killing within 2 hours of contracting it. "Dr Pearlman is working on a vaccine, once we have that, we can proceed."

"How about a cure?"

"There is no time for that, a vaccine is the quicker way to go for now." Joshua replied.

"Sounds good, be careful." Erica told him about Lisa's visit.

Joshua realized it was a matter of time. Marcus would find him. He worked non-stop in the lab, rarely taking a break. At last they were ready for a real trial.

Against Dr. Pearlman's advice he gave himself the vaccine. The next day, Dr. Pearlman drew his blood and confirmed that the antibodies where in his system. He then exposed himself to the virus. Within seconds he was exhibiting symptoms. Headaches and fever at first then a green rash began to form on his skin. He started coughing, his lungs filling with fluid. Dr Pearlman and the others observed and made notes. By the 2 hour mark the symptoms began to resolve, the vaccine worked. Joshua then vaccinated every one in the house.

They set to work on making more vaccine and by evening Dr. Pearlman and Joshua were able to make several thousand doses of vaccine shots and a few hundred oral vaccines. They also made an aerosolized version of the virus to use as a weapon.

"Once we release this virus there is no turning back." Joshua reminded everyone solemnly before he sent Peter, Ruth and Thomas out to find all V fifth column members and vaccinate them as quickly as possible.

Joshua gave one canister of the virus to Dr. Pearlman and kept one for himself. They also kept a small supply of vaccine for themselves and broke down the lab so that no traces of their work could be found. Very early the next morning as they were making plans for wider production and distribution, they heard a loud banging at the door. Joshua recognized the face.

He told Dr. Pearlman to hide. "If anything happens you make sure that you, the research and the vaccine get out. Do not come out for any reason and do not try to help me." He gave her the cell phone. She nodded anxiously and went down to the panic room.

Joshua opened the door. "Mr. Hobbes what a pleasant surprise."

"Hey mate, Erica wanted me to give you a message."

"Why didn't she call?" he asked.

"She's working, and would have been compromised so she sent me. Can I come in?"

Joshua let him in. Hobbes looked around. "This is quite a nice place you got here; man you lizards really know how to live. Are you here all alone in this big house?"

"Yes I am, I have been gathering my contacts. I was about to leave when you came."

"Huh, is that so?"

"So, what is the message?"

"What?" asked Hobbes. "Oh the message. Yes, we need to talk." Two trackers came inside a minute later and grabbed Joshua. "Your presence is requested back on the ship, mate." He gave him a tranquilizer then took him away.

Dr. Pearlman watched helplessly as they put an unconscious Joshua in the trunk of the car. She then heard footsteps in the house and the sound of breaking furniture. A few minutes later the house was silent. She looked out the tiny window and she saw them coming out and back to the car. She sighed in relief but it was quickly replaced with a look of horror as she saw an intense blue beam come towards her. She screamed as she fell to the floor trying to avoid it.

"Here he is just as I promised." Hobbes stated as they sped off. "I think that ends our deal. Now leave her alone."

"Not so fast ," Marcus responded calmly. "There is still the matter of the research we have to discuss."


	30. Chapter 30

Erica's cell phone rang again. "Erica, it's Leah!" Her voice was nearly hysterical.

"Dr. Pearlman?" Erica asked. "What's wrong, where's Joshua?"

"They've taken him, a man with a beard and two trackers came in.

'Hobbes'. Erica said to herself. "Are you alright? Where are you?"

"Yes, I'm o.k., I am in the panic room, they searched the house and then disintegrated it. There is nothing left."

"Stay put, I will be there as soon as possible." Erica called Jack, and filled him in.

When they arrived, a blowing pile of ash stood where the house once had been. They called to Dr. Pearlman. She came out from the underground room, disheveled, still in shock and thirsty, but fine otherwise.

The vaccine, is it safe?" Erica asked. "Yes." Dr. Pearlman answered as she gulped down the water Jack gave her.

"What about Peter, Ruth and Thomas?"

"They left last evening, Joshua sent them to find as many V fifth column members as they could and vaccinate them before we release the virus."

"O.k., well let's get you out of here."

"I can't believe Hobbes would do this to us." Jack said. "After all they've done to make him public enemy number one."

"Jack, it's not just that, he can give us away too." Erica pointed out. She had to think of her next move.


	31. Chapter 31

Hobbes noticed another man working on a small computer type device. "What's he doing?"

"Never mind. You are sure there was no one else there." asked Marcus.

"No one, chief and if there was, your blue beam fried them for sure."

"Yes, Mr. Hobbes you are right." Marcus seemed pleased with himself.

As they approached the shuttle, Marcus stopped the car to let Hobbes out. "So when do we meet again chief?"

Marcus turned to the man with the computer. He nodded to him then Marcus turned back to Hobbes. "Actually Mr. Hobbes, I don't think that we will be needing your services anymore" replied Marcus. One of the trackers then took out a gun and before he could react, Hobbes was shot three times and left for dead.

"His neural scans show that he has the information we need, sir." said the man.

"Good, we will have to extract it quickly once we reach the ship, Anna is anxious to see him again." Marcus replied.


	32. Chapter 32

"Do you think we should release the virus now?" asked Jack as they were heading to see Hobbes.

"We need to give them more time to give out the vaccine." Erica responded, thinking about Lisa.

"But if they get the information from Joshua, then we have lost our advantage. They'll have the vaccine." He reasoned.

"I know, let's see what Hobbes can tell us before we decide."

They found the door to Hobbes hiding place slightly ajar. Erica drew her gun as she and Jack walked in. "Hobbes?" Erica called out. The room was dark and quiet. Too quiet. From the corner of the room they heard a soft voice. "Over here."

They found him on the floor near his bed. He was bleeding from a wound on his neck and was trying to keep pressure on it to stop the bleeding.

"What happened?" Jack ran over to help him bandage his wounds.

Hobbes smiled slyly. "I'm alright mate, good thing I was wearing my vest." He whispered. "Never know who you will run into these days."

Erica checked him for other injuries. Other than a deep bruise on his chest, he was alright and the neck wound wasn't as bad as it looked after they cleaned it up.

Once they got him stabilized Erica demanded answers. "We know about your deal with Marcus, you betrayed us, you sold him the information about the virus, for what a few lousy bucks?"

"Had to protect her, I-I'm sorry."

"Who?" She asked impatiently.

"My daughter. It's true at first I did cut a deal with Marcus for money and to have my name cleared, but I made copies of the research so he wouldn't double cross me. I thought I had the upper hand until he showed me her picture. He knew where she was and said if I didn't help, he would find her."

"A lot of good that does us, he has Joshua now. Marcus can get the information from him." Jack stated angrily.

"Yeah, you didn't share that with me did you. I knew you suspected something." He looked at Erica and smiled. "You're too good of an agent."

Erica ignored the compliment. "What happened to Joshua?"

"I didn't know that Joshua was their chief medical officer and that they wanted him to finish Parker's research, I swear it on my daughter's life. All I knew is that he was fifth column and had escaped from the ship. I figured giving up one lizard would be better than giving everyone else up."

"You S.O.B, that 'lizard' has more humanity in him than you will ever have!" Jack shouted. "He was willing to sacrifice everything for us, he was our best hope to defeat Anna!" Jack took his fist and swung at Hobbes, hitting his mouth. Hobbes reeled back in pain.

"Jack, stop! Let him finish." Erica commanded.

"It's alright I had it coming to me." He wiped away the blood before continuing. "Before the trackers came in Joshua explained everything and gave me the virus and the vaccine. He said he could manipulate the neural scanning for one maybe two days but they would eventually dig deep enough in his subconscious to extract the information. If we release the virus now, we can still defeat them. He told us to give this canister to Lisa but make sure she is vaccinated first and release the one that Dr. Pearlman has."

There was very little time and Erica needed to find Lisa fast. She called Tyler and found out they were three hours away in Philadelphia. Jack went to get Dr. Pearlman to tend to Hobbes, and she called the office to arrange for a helicopter saying she got information on a threat about Lisa. When Kendrick balked and offered to send local FBI agents she retorted, "Do you think Anna would like it if something happened to her daughter and you only had local agents and not the head of the V Task force there as well?" Within minutes she was on her way.


	33. Chapter 33

Marcus had the trackers drag the still unconscious Joshua back to the medical bay. "Have the medical team prepare him and program the neural construct. I will be back shortly."

He left to meet with Anna, but she caught him as he was walking down the corridor.

"I went to the holding room and he was not there. Where is he Marcus?" Anna demanded.

"I was on my way to tell you, I had him moved back to the medical bay."

"Good, relay a message to all the ships, have them tune in to our signal. I want them all to see what happens to traitors. And call Lisa back to the ship."

"When do you plan to do this?"

"Now." Anna dismissed him and walked into the medical bay as the other medical officers finished laying him out on the gurney. He was stripped of his clothes with nothing but a thin sheet to cover him. They had not yet started to work on the construct. Anna called for ten soldiers and had her communications team and other workers set up for her special message.

Marcus came back in and was dismayed by what he saw. The soldiers were posted around Joshua; there was no way he could extract the information now. He could only hope that he would be able to retrieve something from the preliminary scan. Joshua looked up at him and smiled victoriously, then closed his eyes unafraid to meet his fate.

Anna had a special viewing screen assembled all around the medical bay. "Lisa will be here within the hour." He reported. "Don't sound so glum Marcus," Anna observed, "this will be one of our finest hours."


	34. Chapter 34

When Lisa arrived she had to suppress the shock of seeing Joshua lying there. All eyes were on her especially her mother's. She was ushered behind the to the observation screen and was unable to speak with him. He glanced at her quickly and her eyes locked onto his waiting for a signal, something to tell her what to do next, but he looked up and kept his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his face stoic. She alone had to decide what to do next.

Anna addressed the audience on the ship as well as those on the other ships. "The time has come to put an end to anyone who threatens our plans. What you are about to all witness will be a warning to anyone who goes against me, against our people and our way of life." Then she addressed Joshua. "I gave you the benefit of the doubt because you were a valuable asset and you proved your loyalty to me when you killed your traitor of a father and the others, but I should have known better. Like father like son."

Everyone was now behind the screens. Once Anna took her place, she nodded to the technician. A blue energy beam focused on Joshua and slowly started to burn him alive. The pain was intense, and Joshua's body shook violently as he fought to keep from screaming.

"Stop!" Lisa yelled. She ran from the booth to the gurney.

"Lisa!" Anna shouted as she tried to pull her back in. The beam was cut off.

This was her chance with all the ships watching, to get the message out. Three soldiers ran towards her. She took out the canister and sprayed them with it. Within seconds they began to feel the symptoms. "My mother's plan is a lie, it was not what was intended for our people, there is a better way to live among the humans, we don't need to destroy them, we can learn so much from each other and maybe save our own planet."

Anna was livid, "Stop the transmission!" she ordered. It was shut down but the damage was done. Those remaining fifth column members on all the ships who had not been caught or immolated now saw who their new queen could be and realized there was still hope. They began to fight, finding and releasing captive members; chaos and panic took over the ships. The leaders called for help from the mother ship to no avail.

"What is happening to my soldiers?" Anna watched in horror as they were writhing on the floor covered in a green rash.

"It's a virus mother, ask Marcus about it, he knew all about it and kept it from you. It will kill our species, there is no cure but if you had received a vaccination, you would be immune." Everyone backed away from Lisa, afraid to come in contact with her or the infected soldiers.

"Lisa, how could you betray me, betray our people?"

"Your thirst for power has blinded you mother, we could have lived peacefully among the humans, you lied to me, to all of us, they are not the enemy, you are."

"You will never get out of here alive." Marcus said nervously.

"You want to bet?" She laughed. "I am taking a shuttle and leaving, if anyone follows, I will not hesitate to infect you. The virus is being released on the ground as well so if you come after us, you will be infected." She helped Joshua out of the gurney then set the blue energy cell that once held Joshua to contain them. She found Tyler and called him to help.

"What's happening?"

"We have to leave Tyler."

"Leave? What…why?"

"I'll explain later, please trust me and help me with Joshua."

"Why is he only wearing a sheet?"

"Tyler, come on, we need to leave now."


	35. Chapter 35

They landed at the meeting spot she and Erica had arranged and were quickly taken to another safe house. Dr. Pearlman, Jack and Hobbes were waiting for them. Dr. Pearlman tended to Joshua's injuries while the others planned their next move.

"Mom!" exclaimed Tyler when he saw Erica. "What is going on?" "Come on Tyler, we need to talk." They went to another room, leaving Lisa with Jack and Hobbes.

"Were they able to get the information from Joshua?" Jack asked.

"No, my mother inadvertently stopped them because she was anxious to make an example of him, so we have a little more time to make sure that all fifth column on the ground get the vaccine and to make more for the others around the world. The fifth column on the ships should be fine as long as they remain aboard."

"Was everyone infected, was Anna?" Hobbes asked.

"No, I only sprayed three soldiers. They got the message though."

Hobbes let out a laugh. "And Marcus had me 'killed', so he lost his last connection to the research. I'd love to see the look on Marcus's face right now." He crowed.

Erica came out alone. "How is Tyler?" Lisa asked.

"He is in shock right now. He said he needed some time alone. Dr. Pearlman came out a short while later.

"He is asking for both of you," motioning to Erica and Lisa. They walked in the room; Joshua smiled when he saw them. "I think you are really a cat Joshua, you seem to have nine lives." Erica said smiling back.

"Is that a joke?" he laughed.

Lisa was quiet, choking back tears.

"We have won the battle, but Anna won't give up easily. Right now she will be afraid to strike, but she will find a way to strike back, mark my words and it will be brutal. Her ships are still impenetrable, but now that the fifth column members on the ships have seen our new queen, they will become more aggressive and work harder to defeat Anna."

"So what can we do now?" Erica asked.

"They won't be running any shuttles for now for fear of bringing anyone aboard who might be infected. Find Peter, Ruth and Thomas. They can help to organize the fifth column here, identify leaders. We need them to take over a few healing centers to make more vaccine, and relay messages to the fifth column on board the ships."

He looked at Lisa as he said his next words. "We will have to kill all inside in order to take them over if we can't identify any one who is fifth column. If Ryan hasn't turned, and if Samuel is still alive they can be our eyes and ears on the ship. That's all I can think of at the moment." He sat back waiting for their response. Lisa was silent as Erica let the information sink in.

"We don't have much time to waste then." She said after awhile. "I'll get Hobbes to work finding them now and we'll scope out potential healing centers."

"I'll be out in a minute Erica, I need to speak to Lisa alone." Erica nodded as she closed the door behind her.


	36. Chapter 36

"There is no going back is there Joshua," Lisa finally spoke.

"No, we are at war now. I'm sorry Lisa. I wish it could be different." Lisa buried her face in her hands wept bitterly at the thought losing her mother, her way of life as she knew it. She was a traitor and even though it was for a noble and just cause she couldn't help but feel unsure she did the right thing. Joshua took her in his arms to console her, rocking her as she cried.

"You have had to sacrifice so much, you killed your own father, how do you go on?"

Joshua looked at her directly, his hands holding her by the shoulders as if to steady her. "When my father was found out, I was working with him as a medical officer. He told me that I had to kill him to prove to Anna that I was not like him in order to protect me and continue the fifth column's mission. It was the worst thing I have ever had to do." He stopped and looked down, the memory almost too much to bear, but he cleared his throat and continued. "As Anna's chief medical officer I have had to kill others in the fifth column on her orders but we understood and accepted the risks we all faced because this is bigger than anyone of us. We cannot let her win because we, as well as the humans will ultimately lose and my father and the others will have died for nothing. I go on to honor them."

"I understand now." She said as she straightened up and wiped her tears away. "There is one good thing that happened from all of this." she offered.

"What is that?"

"I am here now, this time you can't send me away. I know you feel it too please don't deny it."

"Lisa, I have had to do many terrible things, I've had to remain detached so that I don't give in to my emotions and go insane. I don't know if I can show you the kind of love humans seem to give so freely. I don't know if I can anymore... " his voice trailed off feeling guilty as he remembered his father, David and the others.

"Joshua, don't. Your father wouldn't want this for you. Honor him by forgiving yourself, let me help you." She turned his face back to her. "Don't push me away." Joshua looked at her and saw the determination in her eyes, she was not going to give up on him. He felt the heaviness in his soul lift away as he finally allowed his heart to let her in. He smiled as he finally confessed what he had hidden so deeply for so long.

"I have loved you ever since I came back from my medical training on earth. You were there to greet me with your mother; you were supposed to pin a medal on me and instead you stuck the pin in my chest. You looked so embarassed and sorry, I felt so bad for you and I knew then that you would never be like Anna, that you would be one of us in time."

"As I recall you looked quite annoyed with me, you left in a rush afterwards." Lisa laughingly reminded him. "Somehow I have always known it though, you were always there to protect me." She suddenly remembered Tyler. "Oh Joshua, I am so sorry about my assignment with him, it must have killed you to see me with him."

"No Lisa don't be sorry. He helped you to discover your human emotions, although I must admit I was a little jealous." He smiled and took her in his arms again. "No matter what happens Lisa I will always love you." They held on to each other for a long time and she enjoyed the strength of his arms, the sound of his heart beating close to hers, the feel of his hair brushing against her face, and the smell of his skin.

"Are you ready?" he asked as he let her go. "I am."

Joshua kissed her gently and she smiled as they walked out to face the war that lay ahead knowing that he would now be by her side. THE END….


End file.
